Woodborough’s Heritage

Woodborough, a Sherwood Forest Village, recorded in Domesday



Kelly’s Directory 1941

Woodborough is a parish and large straggling village, 3½ miles north-west from Lowdham station on the Nottingham and Lincoln line of the London, Midland and Scottish railway, 8½ miles from Southwell and 7½ north-north-east from Nottingham, in the Broxtowe division of the county wapentake of Thurgarton, Basford rural district, Nottingham petty sessional division and county court district, rural deanery of Gedling, archdeaconry of Nottingham and diocese of Southwell. The church of St Swithun is an edifice of stone, consisting of chancel, nave, aisles, south porch and low embattled western tower with four pinnacles and containing 4 bells dating from 1612 to 1680, and clock: there are remains of a good Norman doorway: the chancel is Decorated and the tower of Perpendicular date, the nave and aisles being in a later and debased style: the chancel retains very fine sedilia, an aumbry on the north side, and on either side of the communion table are stone brackets (with figures of Edward III and his queen): some remains of the oaken rood screen still exist and a few specimens of ancient stained glass: the east window is also stained, and also one in the south chancel, this latter having been erected in 1920 as a war memorial: the font is Norman: the church contains an interesting medieval veil hook, and an ancient alter table given by a Recorder of Newark to celebrate the end of the Civil War: the church plate includes a chalice and alms-dish, dated 1676, and a flagon of 1802: the church was restored during the period 1891-97, at a cost of £2,600, and affords 200 sittings. In the churchyard, which is now closed for burials is a cross of Cornish granite, erected by local subscription, in memory of men connected with the parish who fell in the Great War, 1814-18. The registers date—1547 for baptisms, 1573 for marriages and 1572 for burials, and are in good condition. The living is a vicarage, net yearly value £350, and residence, in the gift of the Bishop of Southwell, and held since 1933 by the Rev’d Leslie Charles Rowan-Robinson M.B., Ch.B. The Baptist Chapel, built in 1832, has 200 sittings. A cemetery of one acre, which has a lych gate but no chapel, was formed in 1879. Edge’s charity of £2 is distributed at Christmas to the poor, and part of it to the male members of the choir of the parish church. Woodborough was a Roman settlement. Woodborough Hall is an ancient mansion standing on a pleasant lawn at the extreme end of the village. The village feast, an ancient institution, is observed here on the first Sunday after the 2nd of July. The Ecclesiastical Commissioners are lords of the manor. The principle landowners are Lady Charnwood, F.J.W. Seely, Esq. and Charles Ernest Foster Esq. Electricity is available. Water is supplied by the Nottingham Corporation. The soil and sub-soil are clay and sand. The chief crops are wheat, barley, oats, beans and peas; plums and strawberries are also largely grown. The area is 1945 acres; the population in 1931 was 661.


Post Office. Letters arrive through Nottingham. Epperstone is the nearest M. O. & T. Office. An omnibus service between Nottingham and Epperstone passes through here daily at frequent intervals.



Private Residents (for T.N's read telephone numbers).

Austin Henry, Wayside.

Foster Charles Ernest, Woodborough Manor.

Hancock Frank, The Woodlands.

Leigh-Mallory, Air Vice-Marshall, Trafford Leigh D.S.O. LL.B. Woodborough Hall.

Paulson Frederick, Thorneywood Cottage.

Paulson Tom, Thorneywood.

Spencer Wilfred, Lowdham Lane.

Rowan-Robinson Rev’d Leslie Charles, M.B., Ch.B. Edin. (Vicar). The Vicarage.


Commercial (Marked thus * farms 150 acres or over)

Alvey Joseph - Boot Repairer.

Baggaley Tom - Farmer, Old Manor Farm.

Ball Hilda (Mrs) - Grocer, Main Street. T.N. 206.

Bish Herbert - Market Gardener.

Burton Albert Edward - Market Gardener T.N. 215.

Chettle William - Market Gardener, Rose dene.

Cook Joseph - Market Gardener.

Dring John George - Farmer. Shelt Hill Farm. T.N. 204.

Dunthorne Arthur - Market Gardener.

Dunthorne Frank - Smallholder.

Exton Edward - Farmer, Stoop Hill Farm.

Foster Arthur Evelyn - Market Gardener. T.N. 230.

*Foster Charles Ernest - Farmer and Landowner, Woodborough Manor. T.N. 207.

Foster James, Market Gardener - The Grange.

Foster John Herbert - Shopkeeper and Post Office. T.N. 265.

Hallam Owen H - Smallholder.

Hallam Robert T - Blacksmith.

Hallam Wallace - Farmer, Home Farm. T.N. 203.

*Harvey Henry - Farmer. Mill Farm.

Hogg Leonard - Joiner.

Joy W.J. & Son - Market Gardeners.

Kirkham Mary (Mrs) - Farmer. Bank House. T.N. 233.

Leafe Elsie (Mrs) - Carrier.

Milner William Harold - Blacksmith.

Nags Head Public House - Arthur F. Shaw. T.N. 245.

Nottingham Co-operative Society Ltd. T.N. 243.

Nurcombe Thomas Arthur - Joiner.

Parker William Henry - Butcher. T.N. 210.

Peacock Chas - Market Gardener.

*Poole Charles Ernest - Farm Bailiff to John Poole Esq. Park Fm. Rowe Cyril - Poultry Farmer. Foxwood House.

Savidge Sydney Charles - Carpenter.

Savidge Vernon - Market Gardener.

Simpson Alfred Geeson - Farmer. Bank Farm.

Small Frank Aug - Farmer. T.N. 252.

Spencer David - Smallholder and Clerk to Parish Council.

Spencer Edwin - Market Gardener.

Spencer Herbert - Market Gardener.

Spencer Kate (Mrs) - Grocer, Main Street.

*Stansfield Albert Victor - Farmer. Woodborough Wood.

Sutton Samuel - Farmer. Moor Farm.

Walker John Ernest - Four Bells Inn. T.N. 214

Wright Bernard - Smallholder. Northdale.


Carrier to Nottingham—Mrs Elsie Leafe, Wednesdays & Saturdays.


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